Surgical device



Dec. 20, 1949 w, LODGE 2,491,570

SURGICAL DEVICE Filed July so, 1948 grwe/rvfov William H Lodge ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20,1949

UNITED STATES OFFICE 2,4915% I SURGICAL mi e William H. Lodge, Hershey, Pa. Application July 30, 1948, Serial-No. 41,513.

3 Claims. (01. 128-403):

'i his invention relates generally to the class of surgery and is directed particularly to a device for facilitating the operation of circumcision.

At the present time there are a number of devices for use by a surgeon in performing a circumcision but all of these devices have some particular feature which is undesirable as, for example, some are rather large, heavy and more or lessawkward to use whereas others do not provide the safety for the patient which is highly desirable.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a device which will enable a physician to perform the operation easily and quickly, enabling him to cut away the required amount of the prepuce, at the proper angle and without running any danger of cutting the glans of the organ.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated which is small, being only of suflicient size to cover the glans, and which can be made of light metal or any other suitable or desirable material so that a surgeon may be supplied with a number of the devices in varying sizes which, as a group, will require a small amount of storage space.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a surgical device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a ventral View of the same.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operative position of the device and the angle of cut.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the device of the present invention is generally designated lll. This device, as shown, is in the form of a cup or thimble, having the closed slightly rounded or convex forward or front wall H and the side wall l2 which is flared slightly toward the opposite open end.

While the wall I2 is of circular cross section as will be readily seen upon reference to Figure 2, one part or side thereof is always disposed downwardly or is at the under side of the organ to which the device is applied when in use and this under side which is designated a has formed therein from and opening through the rear edge l3, the substantially V-shaped notch I4, the purnotch'is in the form of a relatively wide V and. at the rear thereof the side edges are widely rounded as at b where such edges merge with the rear or back edge I3.

Figure 4 illustrates diagrammatically the application of the device for use in performing the circumcision operation. In this operation the prepuce i5 is retracted to expose the glans penis. A. dorsal slit is made to the corona. The shield device of the present invention is then placed over the glans penis with the notch on the ventral surface to receive the frenulum. This makes a close anatomical covering for the glans. The prepuce is then pulled forward over the guard and is clamped with a hemostat placed at the end of the dorsal slit on the dorsal surface and cut at a 68 angle to the shaft of the penis. This angle of cut is designated 0 and the plane of the cut passes across the forward closed end ll of the guard or shield as shown. After making the cut the hemostat is allowed to stay in place for a few minutes and if this conservative circumcision is used, sutures are rarely needed.

In many cases surgeons, in preference to using the heavy and awkward implements at present available for performing this operation will undertake to perform the operation without such implement. In so doing it is necessary for the surgeon, of course, to judge the proper line of cut and if a miscalculation is made, as has been done, the cut may be made too far back in which case the glans will be injured. With the present invention, as will be readily apparent, it is not possible to injure the glans for the reason that the shield completely covers the same. Also, by reason of the fact that the shield is closed at its forward end, a slight suction or vacuum effect will be obtained when it is placed in position so that there is no danger of the guard slipping to one side or in any way coming out of position during the time that the prepuce is being drawn forward preparatory to the application of the hemostat.

As previously stated the device of the present invention may be made in a number of different sizes and would, in practice, he provided probably in five or six sizes ranging from 9 mm. to 25 mm. maximum diameter. The device may be made of any suitable material, preference being had for light weight metal such as stainless steel or chromium plated metal which retains a bright clear appearance and can be readily sterilized.

I claim:

1. A circumcision guard comprising a cup like PO86 Of which Will be hereinafter set forth. This body of circular cross section of a, depth to completely receive the glans, the body being tapered and having a notch cut in the back end edge upon the under side of the body, the forward end of the body being closed and unobstructed upon the front side whereby a cutting instrument may be applied across the said front side.

2. A circumcision guard comprising a cup like body closed at one end and flaring toward the opposite open end, the body being of circular cross section and having a relatively deep V- notch cut therein from the back end edge upon the under side of the body, the edges of the notch at the back end of the body flowing into 1 v The following references are of record in the the back edge in a widely rounded corner, and the said closed end of the body constituting a relatively thin wall having a convex forward sur- 7 face facilitating the movement of a cutting instrument thereacross in front of the guide.

3. A circumcision guard comprising a cup like thickness throughout, the cross section of the body being of gradually increasing diameter from one end of the body to the other, the body including a wall across the smaller end of substantially the same thickness as and forming an integral continuation of the side wall, said end wall being convex to present an outside forwardly directed rounded surface, and said side wall having a relatively deep notch cut therein from the rear end edge; WILLIAM H. LODGE.

REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,272,072 Ross Feb. 3, 1942 2,345,639 Tibone I Apr. 4, 1944 

